Esports skins betting guide: bets with items from CSGO and Dota 2

In recent years, esports betting has become a huge niche, reaching millions of people. The growth is likely to continue in the coming years as many people are joining the betting industry every day.

There are elements in the gaming industry such as skins. A skin is a cosmetic element that allows you to change the visuals of items in the game (for example, the colouring of weapons in CS:GO) and make them unique. However, it does not directly affect the gameplay. There are entire private studios, trusted Dota 2 betting sites and private designers involved in the development of skins. Over the years, the skin market has become a multi-million dollar business.

How has the skin betting industry been formed in esports?

To begin with, we should note that it is quite difficult to get skins for free, usually they are bought (on the sites of the game developer or on third-party specialised sites).

Some skins are more valuable than others, hence more expensive. Skin prices vary depending on how rare they are on the market and how much they are in demand. For a skin to have a high value, it must have excellent external quality or uniqueness. The value of skins can also increase with the addition of stickers. Stickers come in different qualities. There is high grade, remarkable and exotic. The best and most valuable one is the exotic one.

As you have realised, third-party websites (marketplaces) offer you the opportunity to buy, sell and trade skins. However, that's not the only thing they do. Over time, the owners of marketplaces and betting sites (mainly Dota 2 and CS GO bet sites) have the opportunity to bet on esports events using not money, but skins.

Algorithm of betting with skins in esports on the example of Steam

Here everything is simple. Usually the trading platform or bookmaker offers to synchronise your account with your Steam account and make a transaction of your skins from Steam to the bookmaker's database. You will then be able to place bets using these skins at market value. In case you win, you also get the skins. The value of these skins depends on the odds of the match.

Pros of skins betting with: you don't use real money

Unlike other types of betting, you don't use real money in skin betting. If you spend a lot of time playing CSGO or Dota 2, you can get a set of skins for free and use them for free. Using skins for free money reduces the risks involved and is therefore safer. It is also less stressful.

Pros of skins betting: There is no regulation in many countries where betting is allowed

Most skin gambling sites CSGO are outside of the legal framework when accepting new members. This can lead to a variety of violations, from accepting bets from minors to refusing to pay out winnings. The lack of regulation can also lead to negative consequences that can undermine the reputation of the betting industry.

Alternative to skin betting

The best alternative to skinny betting is legal and safe bookmakers that are licensed in your country. It may surprise you that betting with real money is safer than betting on virtual items from the game, but the rules and regulations here are much stricter. In addition, real money esports betting can be done through trusted global betting brands.